India, Feb. 18 -- Dozens of crows died in state's West Champaran district in January 2021; the flu has beenreported from at least 13 Indian states so far

Bihar health authorities have sounded alert after pathogenic avian influenza (H5N8) viruses were detected in crows in the state.

Dozens of crows died in state's West Champaran district in January 2021, following which the animal husbandry department officials collected samples and sent them for test at a laboratory in Kolkata.

"The report confirmed H5N8 strain of bird flu. We have sounded alert and stepped surveillance to check spread of this virus," Sunil Kumar Thakur, district animal husbandry officer, West Champaran, told Down to Earth .

Thakur added that the virus is not "deadly"...